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Mesoreodon major
Topic Started: Dec 16 2013, 05:03 AM (1,766 Views)
Sci Fyena
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Heterotrophic Organism
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Mesoreodon major

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Temporal range: early Miocene

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: †Merycoidodontidae
Subfamily: †Merycoidodontinae
Genus: †Mesoreodon
Type species: †Mesoreodon major

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Evolutionary History and Relations---
Mesoredon major is an extinct species of oreodont belonging to the subfamily Mercoidodontinae, within the family Merycoidodontidae. It lived from 33 to 20 million years ago, in the early Miocene epoch, with a temporal range of over twelve million years. Though similar to the closely related genera Merycoidodon and Eporeodon, M. major was distinguished from both by its larger size; possessing narrower and higher crowned teeth than the former; smaller and more pit-like preorbital fossae, a higher muzzle, reduced premolars, and a more derived, upturned zygomatic arch than the latter. Mesoreodon is believed to have been ancestral to Desmatochoerus and Hypsiops.

Geographical Range---
Mesoreodon lived across the continental United States, with specimens being discovered as far as both the western and eastern seaboards. Fossils have been uncovered in the John Day formation in Oregon, the Cabbage Patch and Fort Logan formations in Montana, and in between the Brule and Gering formations in Nebraska. Specimens have also been unearthed in Florida and California.

Morphology---
Mesoreodon was a large grazing herbivore, with an estimated mass o 155-230 kilograms. (350-500 lbs.) It is known from several well-preserved skulls and partial skeletons. The skull of Mesoreodon was robust and mesocephalic. Like all oreodonts, Mesoreodon exhibited a pair of large, sharp canines, although it was herbivorous.

Ecology and Behavior---
Mesoreodon specimens have been discovered with ossified vocal cords, a trait observed in extant howler monkeys. It has been suggested that Mesoreodon was capable of using loud vocalizations as a method of predator deterrent or interspecific intimidation, earning the genus the nickname of the “screaming oreodont.”
Edited by Taipan, Dec 23 2013, 01:11 PM.
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Heterotrophic Organism
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Text from "The White River Badlands," by Cleophas C. O'Harra:

Regarding the vocal capacities of Mesoreodon:

"Mesoreodon is likewise remarkable
in that the thyroid cartilage of the larynx was ossified much
as in the howling monkey and according to Prof. Scott it
must have had most unusual powers of voice."

Regarding the ecology of the oreodonts:

"They seem to have ranged in great herds over the Oligocene and Mio-
cene lands of South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming,
Montana and North Dakota. It is interesting in this con-
nection to note that the Oreodontidae, in addition to
giving their name to the Oreodon beds of the Middle Oligo-
cene furnished names also for three of the zones above the
Middle Oligocene, namely, the Laptauchenia zone, the
Promerychocrus zone, and the Merycochoerus zone."

Complete text of "The White River Badlands":
http://archive.org/stream/whiteriverbadlan00ohar/whiteriverbadlan00ohar_djvu.txt
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